Brownie Points
We take our usual morning walk and run into neighbors Yvonne and Mark, who are with friends visiting from out of town. After the usual idle weather chat, they mention that after dinner last night they went in search of the perfect brownie. This is the type of thing you do when on vacation, or perhaps after drinking a little too much.
That is my own thought of course, what I actually say is “the perfect brownie - Hmmnnn. - I’ve done that,” Meaning, of course that I have searched for that same thing though not necessarily under those same circumstances.
In any case, the perfect brownie means different things to different people. If you were on the hunt for one of those brownie desserts commonly seen in restaurants, ones that are heated, sauced and accompanied by things like vanilla bean ice cream or crème anglais, I don’t know about that.
What I do is give them is my interpretation of the perfect brownie. My perfect brownie is cakey but not overly so and is moist but not heavy or sticky. Must have walnuts, not pecans, and is not frosted.
To my delight they agree. “Well, I say, that’s easy. Zinc Café has them.” “Zinc,” they react, somewhat doubtfully. Right here in our Corona Del Mar neighborhood?
Yep, and not only that, I reply “but they are not too expensive, are generously enough sized to feel that you have something worthwhile enough to call dessert, but not so large that you question your ability to consume them.”
They laugh and decide to take my word for it. Though I know that having voiced this opinion, it may be subject to challenge. So, rather than wait around for that, I go home and look up brownies on the internet. It will come as no surprise to anyone who has navigated the web that there are lots and lots of recipes out there for anything you may desire. That includes brownies.
With a particular thing in mind, a brownie vision if you will, I was not happy to find that brownies come in all sorts of flavors and styles. And, I have to say, most of them not particularly appealing sounding. Irish mist brownies, toffee brownies, espresso brownies, layered and swirled brownies. Oh sure, they may appeal to some of you, maybe to many, but when I think brownie I think of the plain ones I described. These other versions may be “brownie desserts” but in my opinion are not true brownies.
And, what you see on-line of course, are recipes for brownies. Maybe the best thing about my perfect brownies is that I don’t have to make them, going through all the processes and ending up with more than I need. I can walk down the street and get them, or just one. Now that’s a perfect brownie!